Differential drives can build up a locking effect via an externally controlled actuating device or vary a locking effect without any external influence, as a function of the differential speed or as a function of the transmitted torque. Such a self-locking differential drive is known from DE 34 02 917 C1 for example.
There are several types of prior art differential carriers which, substantially consist of a dish-shaped part and a cover part, with an assembly consisting of sideshaft gears and differential gears being accommodated in the rear part of the dish-shaped part, with the multi-plate coupling being arranged aside of same and, finally, with a cover with an integrally formed-on flange closing said assembly. In the case of differential drives with an externally controlled actuating device for actuating the multi-plate coupling, it is possible to arrange same inside the differential carrier, with the cover forming part of the actuating device (DE 199 42 044 C1) or being positioned outside the differential carrier, wherein the actuating device is supported on a sleeve projection at the cover part (U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,928). The disadvantage of these designs is that, as a result of the bearing region of the differential carrier being formed on to the cover, a centering error of the cover relative to the dish-shaped part affects the concentric running characteristics of the differential carrier and thus of the ring gear.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,948, there is known a differential drive with a differential carrier. The differential carrier comprises a dish-shaped part with a base and with a flange as well as a cover which can be bolted to the flange. With reference to a plane extending through the axes of rotation of the differential gears, the base and the flange of the dish-shaped part are arranged on different sides. This also applies to the differential drives known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,592,487, 6,296,590 and 4,950,214.
U.S. Publication No. 2003/096670 proposes a differential drive with a dish-shaped differential carrier, and with reference to the central plane of the differential drive, a base and a flange of the dish-shaped differential carrier are jointly positioned on one side. On the opposite side, there is provided a cover which is placed on to the differential carrier and secured thereto by circumferentially distributed bolts.